Dr. George Shaker, an engineer at the University of Waterloo, has high hopes for a compact radar device he developed with a team of researchers. With over 20 years of experience exploring radio waves, Shaker envisions this discreet system being installed in everyday furniture to detect heart problems before they become life-threatening.
A Future Where Furniture Protects Your Health
“Imagine a world where your car seat, couch, or office chair does more than provide comfort—it actively monitors your heart and alerts you to potential health risks,” Shaker said. “If widely adopted, this technology could save countless lives.”
As reported by medicalxpress, the system relies on an advanced motion detection radar, capable of sensing tiny chest movements caused by a beating heart. Unlike wearable devices that require charging and manual operation, this radar continuously monitors heart activity in the background, offering a seamless and reliable health-tracking solution.
How the Radar System Works
A small, cellphone-sized box attached behind a seat emits radar waves that spread out, bounce off the person sitting in the chair, and return with data on chest movements. The device then uses artificial intelligence (AI) and a sophisticated algorithm to analyze these movements and create a heartbeat profile.
A healthy heartbeat typically produces two peaks followed by a valley. Deviations from this pattern can signal potential cardiac issues, prompting further medical examination.
Detecting Early Signs of Cardiac Risk
One critical measure the system monitors is the corrected QTc interval—the time the heart takes to reset between beats. If this interval is too long, the risk of serious cardiac events, such as heart attacks, increases.
“Healthy individuals have a distinct heartbeat signature,” Shaker explained. “However, for those with prolonged QTc, this pattern shifts. Our system detects these changes early, acting as a valuable warning tool for potential heart risks.”
The radar-based technology delivers results in minutes with accuracy comparable to a medical-grade electrocardiogram (ECG). It also tracks heart rate variability (HRV)—a key indicator of cardiovascular health—down to the millisecond.
AI-Powered Precision and Future Development
The research team, which includes experts from various engineering disciplines, public health, and a mathematician from the National Aerospace University in Ukraine, developed specialized hardware and a custom algorithm. This “secret sauce” effectively filters out noise from breathing and other body movements, ensuring clear and reliable heart signals.
Currently, researchers are enhancing AI integration to improve the system’s predictive capabilities and expanding testing on individuals with different cardiovascular conditions. Efforts to commercialize the technology are also underway.
A Game-Changer for Smart Homes and Vehicles
“Radar sensors are privacy-friendly, compact, scalable, and cost-effective,” Shaker emphasized. “As production increases, this technology could become a standard feature in smart homes and vehicles—just as common as seatbelts or airbags.”
With its potential to provide continuous, non-invasive heart monitoring, this radar system may soon redefine how people manage their cardiovascular health.